In a recent report, Mundo Deportivo revealed that Barcelona have set their sights on Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi. It has been claimed that the Catalan outfit are eyeing a move to secure the services of the Morocco international.
Ounahi’s Impressive Form In French Football This Season
Ounahi is enjoying a solid campaign for both his club and country and deserves a lot of credit for helping Morocco reach the semifinal stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 22-year-old has been involved in 14 matches for Angers this season in the Ligue 1.
The Casablanca-born talent has given a good account of himself at the centre of the park based on his average of 1.4 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 1.6 shots, 1.2 key passes and 2.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 football. He has even been accurate when distributing the ball from midfield after making 88.6% of his attempted passes in the French top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the French club is set to run out in the summer of 2026. Thus, it won’t be easy for Barca to land him on the cheap next year.
Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Snap Ounahi Up Next Year?
Ounahi can get stuck with some solid tackles to make life difficult for the opposition and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his team in the middle of the park. He can shoot the ball with power from long range and has got the vision to create a few decent chances in the final third. The Moroccan sensation can also make some driving runs with the ball from midfield. He is primarily a box-to-box midfielder but can also fill in as a holding midfielder or operate in the number ten position if his manager tells him to do so.
Hence, we can expect Ounahi to inject more energy and dynamism into Barcelona‘s midfield. He is playing some of the best football of his playing career for both his club and nation this season. Hence, Barca boss Xavi would be wise to try everything he can to lure him to the Nou Camp this winter or at the end of this campaign.
At 22, the future is quite bright for Ounahi as long as he continues to improve his overall game with each season. All in all, Xavi should consider snapping him up as he could help the Catalan club challenge for some major silverware over the next decade.
